Separation



y W B. HQRSFHEBRBD gpgwgfiw SEPARATION Filed Dean 30, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet .1.

BMW Ham Jaw INVENTOR J ynroRNm s W 2 W 2 t m H .m M WW m m w 2 R 3% s I i L r o 2 a v w S W I n 9 1Uv m L l o W Fn SA. 5 Rm 0mm hs m B m ISE Patented Oct. 24, 1944 SEPARATION Basil Horsfleld, Pittsburgh, Pa., assignor, by mcsne assignments, to Orei'raction Incorporated,

Pittsburgh, Pa.,

a corporation of Pennsylvania Application December 30, 1939, Serial No. 311,793

8 Claims.

My invention relates to separation of material particles, and the principal object of my invention is to provide new and improved separations.

In the drawings accompanying this specification, and forming a part of this application, I have shown, for purposes of illustration, one form of apparatus, and in these drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of this illustrative form of apparatus, a portion being broken away,

Figure 2 is a bottom view of one water feed chamber forming part of the apparatus shown in v Figure 1, an element thereof being partly broken away,

Figure 3 is a section taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2, looking in the direction of the arrows,

Figure 4 is a developmental view of a water tube forming part of the apparatus shown in Figure 1,

Figure 5 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view of an upper portion of the apparatus shown in Figure 1, and

Figure 6 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view of a lower portion of the apparatus shown in Figure 1.

The particular apparatus herein illustrated comprises, in general, hydraulic separating means S, feed means F for feeding particles to the hydraulic separating means S, and control means C for controlling the discharge of underage from the hydraulic separating means S. Material fed by the feed means F to the hydraulic separating means S is separated into two fractions, one of which, the underage, eventually is discharged from the lower end of the apparatus through discharge spud means IO, and the other of which, the overage, is discharged from the upper end of the hydraulic separating means S.

The particular hydraulic separating means S shown herein is designed to operate by hydraulic counter-current separation and includes an elongated chamber II, in this instance of conical form, hereinafter called a water tube. The water tube II is here shown as joined directly to the lower end of a funnel l2 which terminates in an upper margin 3 over which the average from the hydraulic separating means is adapted to be discharged into a launder l4 comprising a generally cylindrical portion l5 surrounding and spaced from the funnel l2 and provided with an inclined bottom It having a water-tight joint with the funnel I2. The launder I4 is provided with a discharge spout l1, through which the average is discharged.

The means F for feeding material is suitably supported by bracket means l8, and comprises a conduit l8 connected to a pipe fitting in turn connected to an inlet pipe 2|. Below and spaced from the outlet of the pipe 2| 9. suitable baffle 22 may be mounted in any suitable way.

The water tube H is provided with means for admitting water thereinto comprising two or more water feed chambers or jackets 23 in this instance, four.

One of the-water jackets 23 is shown in Figures 2 and 3. The water jacket comprises a generally cup-shaped member having a cylindrical outer wall 24 and an end wall 25 having an aperture 26. Extending from the end wall 25 is a cylindrical wall 21. The wall 21 terminates in a plane 28 spaced sufiiciently from the plane of the free end of the wall 24 to allow for a cover plate 29 which is welded or otherwise suitably fastened to the end of the wall 24 by a water-tight oint 30. The end of the wall 21 is provided with a plurality of recesses 3|, 3|a, extending around a desired part of the circumference, the end recesses 3|a leaving between them an unrecessed portion 33 of the wall 21. The recesses 3|, 3|a leave relatively narrow wall portions 34 between them, and the cover plate 29 bears against the ends of the portions 34 and against the end of the wall portion 33.

The hereinbefore described construction provides an annular chamber 35 in communication with the space within the wall 21 only by way of the apertures formed by the recesses 3|, 3|a. Water is adapted to be fed into the chamber 35 through a hole 36 in a spud 31 extending from the wall 24, the hole 36 being approximately opposite the circumferential middle of the wall portion 33. The hole 36 is here shown as spaced in an axial direction from the general plane of the apertures The cover plate 29 is provided with an aperture 38 in axial alinement with the aperture 26. The surfaces of the apertures 26, 38, when the'water jacket is to be used with a water tube of the form of the tube I I, desirably define a cone of the same taper as the tube H, and the apertures 26, 38 of each water jacket 23 are made of such size that the respective water jackets 23 fit the water tube H at the desired spaced portions of its length, as shown in Figure 1.

The water tube H is provided with longitudinally spaced bands 39, 40, 4|, 42 of holes, as shown in the developmental view, Figure 4. In this instance, each band comprises three circumferential extending rows of circumferentially spaced holes 43. The construction and arrangement is such that when the uppermost water jacket 23 is in the position shown in Figure 1, the band 99 of holes is longitudinally between the end wall 25 and cover plate 29 of that water jacket, and the successively lower water jackets 28 are similarly positioned with respect to the bands 40, 4|, 42 respectively. It will be understood that the margins of the apertures'26, 38 of each water Jacket are brazed or otherwise suitably joined watertight to the water tube One way in which the supply of water to the water jackets 23 may be controlled is shown in Figure 1. As here shown the spud 31 of each water jacket 23 is connected by a pipe section 44 to a manifold 45 which may be connected at both ends to a main water supply pipe 46. The pipe sections 44 have interposed therein valves 49, individually designated 48a, 48b, 48c, 48d respectively, and the main supply pipe 46 has a valve 49 interposed. therein.

Assuming that the valve 49 is open and that the valves 48b, 48c and 48d are closed, and that the valve 480. is opened a desired amount, water will flow through the valve 48a into the annular chamber 35 of the uppermost water jacket 23, and from this chamber it will flow through the apertures provided by the recesses 3|, 3|a into the annular space between the water tube and the wall 2?. From that space the water will flow through those holes 43 which constitute the band of holes 39, into the water tube thereby subjecting material fed into the separating means S through the feed means F, to a desired upward current of water originating at the band 39 where the water tube ll has a relatively large crosssectional area. In like manner the valve 4%, or the valve 48c, or the valve 48d may be opened, all of the other valves being, in each instance, kept closed, whereby the material may be subjected to a desired upward current of water originating respectively at the bands of holes 40, or 4|, or 42, with respect to each of which the cross-sectional area of the water tube H is successively smaller. Furthermore, the valves controlling adjacent pairs of water jackets 23, such as the valves 49a and 48b, or 48b and 480, or 480 and 48d, may be opened, the remaining valves in each instance being kept closed; or three of the valves 48 controlling three adjacent water jackets 23 may be opened, the other valve being kept closed; or the valves 48 may be opened in any other combination; or all of the valves 48 may be opened. The valve 49 may of course be adjusted at any time but is particularly useful when more than one of the valves 48 is opened. Adjustment of the valve 49 adjusts the water pressure in the manifold 45 whereby, for any given setting of two or more of the valves 48, the effect of the respective water jackets 23 may be simultaneously adjusted while keeping the relative effect the same. If desired a manometer or other suitable pressure measuring or indicating device (not shown) may be pro vided at desired places in the water feed system. In each combination of use of the control valves each valve will be opened an amount such as will give hydrodynamic conditions in the separating means S best adapted to obtain the desired separations.

In the illustrated embodiment the diameter of the top of the funnel I2 is approximately 16 inches and the diameter of the bottom of this funnel is approximately 4% inches, this diameter, in this instance. being also the diameter of the top of the water tube The diameter of the bottom of the water tube is approximately 1 inches. The axial length of the funnel l2 is approximately 10 inches and the axial length of the water tube H is approximately 12 /2 inches. The axial over-all length of each of the water jackets 23 is approximately 2 inches and the axial distance between adjacent water jackets is approximately an inch. The diameters of the water tube H at the lowest row of holes of the bands 39, 40, 4|, and 42 are respectively approximately 4 inches, 3 inches, 21; inches, and 1% inches. The numbers of holes in the rows of holes comprising the bands 39, 40, 4|, and 42, reading from highest to lowest, are I4, l3, l2 (for the band 39) II, II, ID (for the band 40), 9, 9, 8 (for the band 4|), and 1, 6, 6 (for the band 42). The foregoing dimensions and numbers have been given purely by way of illustration and it is to be understood that I do not limit my invention to these dimensions and numbers.

With respect to the numbers of holes in the rows of holes comprising the bands of holes 39, 40, 4|, and 42, it is desirable that the construction and arrangement be such that when any' band, or any combination of adjacent bands, or

when all of the bands of holes are being supplied with water, the upward velocity in the water tube I from the lowermost band in use to and including the highest band in use may be caused to be substantially the same.

The discharge of underage from the water tube may be controlled, if desired, as disclosed in the application of Edwin L. Wiegand, Serial Number 293,264, filed September 2, 1939, and to that end the hydraulic separating means 8 may be carried by supporting means 60 comprising a plate 6| through which the lower end of the water tube extends into a metallic bellows 62 forming part of the control means C. The bellows 62 is connected at its upper end to the plate BI and at its lower end to a sump tank 63, these connections being Watertight. The bellows 62 permits upward and downward movement of the sump tank 63, the lower end of the tank being guided by suitable guide means including guide rollers 64, and the upper end being guided by rods 65 fastened to the plate 6|. Stop nuts 66, cooperating with a flange 61 on the sump tank 63, are provided to adjustably limit up and down movement of the tank 63. The sump tank 63 carries, on opposite sides, knife edge bearings with which cooperate knife edges respectively provided on a beam 68, one knife edge bearing 69, and one knife edge 10 being visible in Figure 1. The beam 68 is adapted to rock on an arcuate upper surface of a fulcrum means II adjustable about a pivot 12. A rack I3 may be provided on the beam 68, to cooperate with a fragmentary gear 14 mounted adjacent the arcuate surface of the fulcrum engaged by the beam. The beam 68 carries a weight 15 adjustable along the beam, and adjustable limit stop means 16 is provided for the end of the beam 69. The sump tank 63 carries at its lower end a member providing a seat 11 for a valve body 18. The valve body I8 is fastened to a relatively fixed rod 19 which extends upwardly through the sump tank 63, the bellows 62, the separating means S, and the feed means F, and is in threaded engagement with a part of the feed means F so that the valve body 18 may be adjusted up and down by a knob 80 on the valve rod 19. The lower end of the rod 19 may, if desired, be guided by a suitable guide bearing which may be supported by a plurality of circumferentially spaced legs 9| welded or otherwise suitably fastened to the bearing 90 and to the inside wall of the sump tank 63.

The underage is dischargeable from the sump tank 63 through the valve TI, 18, and through the spud means I, into a funnel 8i leading to a conduit 82. The control means C automatically controls the discharge of underage as fully set forth in the hereinbefore mentioned copending application, and is advantageously used in connection with a separating means such as S in which water may be selectively admitted to portions of the tube 4| having different cross-sectionalareas.

From the foregoing it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the illustrated embodiment of my invention provides new and improved separations, and accordingly, accomplishes the principal object of my invention. n the other hand, it also will be obvious to those skilled in the art that the illustrated embodiment of my invention may be variously changed and modified, or features thereof, singly or collectively, embodied in other combination than those illustrated, without departing from the spirit of my invention, or sacrificing all of the advantages thereof, and that accordingly, the disclosure herein is illustrative only, and my invention is not limited thereto.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for separating material particles, comprising: hydraulic separating means so constructed and arranged that particles fed thereto are subjected to hydraulic counter-current settling, said separating means comprising mean providing a separating chamber and means for admitting liquid to said separating chamber, said liquid admitting means including jacket means about said separating chamber, said jacket means including a first wall disposed about and spaced from an apertured portion of said separating chamber, and a second wall disposed about and spaced from said first wall, said first wall being apertured along only a portion of its circumlerence to place the space between said walls in communication with the space between said first wall and said apertured portion of said separating chamben'and said second wall having an opening for admitting liquid to the space between said second wall and said first wall, said openin being disposed opposite the unapertured portion of said first wall.

2. Apparatu for separating material particles, comprising: hydraulic separating means so constructed and arranged that particles fed thereto are subjected to hydraulic countercurrent settling, said separating means comprising a downwardly tapering separating chamber having a plurality of vertically spaced wall portions, successive wall portion being alternately unaper= tured and apertured, and comprising means for admitting liquid to said apertured portions; said liquid admitting means including a plurality of separate jacket mean about said apertured wall portions of said chamber respectively, all of said jacket means being of the same outer peripheral dimensions, and each of said jaclret means including upper and lower wall portions having transverse openings respectively fitting unapertured wall portions adjacent opposite sides of the respective apertured portion of said chamber, and each includin wall means joining said upper and lower wall portions and disposed about and spaced from the respective apertured wall portion of said chamber.

3. Apparatus for separating material particles, comprising: hydraulic separating means so constructed and arranged that particles fed thereto till are subjected to hydraulic countercurrent settling, said separating means comprising means providing a separating chamber and means for admitting liquid to said separating chamber to cause an upward current of liquid in said separating chamber, said liquid admitting means including jacket means about said separating chamber, said jacket means including a nrst wail disposed about and spaced from an apertured portion of said separating chamber, and a second wall disposed about and spaced from said first wall, said first wall being apertured to place the space between said walls in communication with the space between said first wall and said apertured portion of said separating chamber, said jacket means being so constructed and ar ranged that liquid admitted to the space between said walls will be substantially uniformly fed about said apertured portion. of said separating chamber to produce said upward current.

4. Apparatus for separating material particles, comprising: hydraulic separating means so constructed and arranged that particles fed thereto are subjected to hydraulic countercurrent settling, said separating means comprising a comcal continuously downwardly tapering separating chamber having a plurality of vertically spaced taperin wall portions, successive wall portions being alternately unapertured and apertured, and comprising means for admitting liquid to said apertured portions; said liquid admitting means including a plurality of separate jacket means about said apertured wall portions of said chamber respectively, all of said jacket means being of the same outer peripheral di mensions, and each of said jacket means includ ing upper and lower wall portions having transverse openings respectively fitting unapertured tapering wall portions adjacent opposite sides of the respective apertured portion of said chamber, and each including wall means joining said upper and lower wall portions and disposed about and spaced from the respective apertured wall portion of said chamber.

5. Apparatus for separating material particles, comprising: hydraulic separating means so constructed and arranged that particles fed thereto are subjected to hydraulic couhtercurrent settling and the underage of said separating means is normally continuously dischargeable at the lower end of said separating means through an opening free to atmosphere, said separating means comprising means providing a chamber having a unitary inside wall the space therewithin being free of transverse obstructions thereby to enable unobstructed vertical how of liquid, and means for admitting liquid to longitudinally spaced portions of said chamber, the cross-sectional area of a lower one of said portions being less than the cross-sectional area of a higher one of said portions, the parts of said unitary wall defining said portions being each provided with a set of circumferentially spaced apertures extending transversely through said wall parts so as to provide inwardly directed streams of liquid substantially normal to said wall parts; and means for selectively controlling by sets the admission of liquid to said sets of apertures, said means comprising individual conduits, a single conduit for each set of said apertures, connectable to a source of liquid under pressure, and individual valve means interposed in said conduits for controlling the admission of liquid to the respective sets of apertures whereby by closure of one or more of said valve means admission of liquid to a selected one or more of said sets of apertures may be entirely interrupted and liquid admitted only to the remaining sets.

6. Apparatus for separating material particles, comprising: hydraulic separating means so constructed and arranged that particles fed thereto are subjected to hydraulic countercurrent settling and the underage of said separating means is normally continuously dischargeable at the lower end of said separating means through an opening free to atmosphere, said separating means comprising means providing a chamber having a unitary inside wall the space therewithin being free of transverse obstructions thereby to enable unobstructed vertical flow of liquid, and means for admitting liquid to longitudinally spaced portions of said chamber, the cross-sectional area of a lower one of said portions being less than the cross-sectional area of a higher one of said portions, the parts of said unitary wall defining said portions being each provided with a set of circumferentially spaced apertures extending transversely through said wall parts so as to provide inwardly directed streams of liquid substantially normal to said wall parts; means for selectively controlling by sets the admission of liquid to said sets of apertures, said means comprising individual valve means, a single valve means for each set of apertures, constructed and arranged to control the admission of liquid to the respective sets of apertures whereby by closure of one or more of said valve means admission of liquid to a selected one or more of said sets of apertures may be entirely interrupted and liquid admitted only to the remaining sets of apertures; common conduit means connectable to a source of liquid under pressure and connected simultaneously to feed liquid under pressure to all of said individual valve means; and single valve means interposed in said common conduit means for simultaneously controlling feeding of liquid to said individual valve means.

'7. Apparatus for separating material particles, comprising: hydraulic separating means so constructed and arranged that particles fed thereto are subjected to hydraulic countercurrent settling and the underage of said separating means is normally continuously dischargeable at the lower end of said separating means through an opening-free to atmosphere, said separating means comprising a conical wall providing a continuously downwardly tapering chamber the space therewithin being free of transverse obstructions thereby to enable unobstructed vertical flow of liquid, and means tor admitting liquid to longitudinally spaced portions or said chamber, the wall parts of said conical wall defining said longitudinally spaced portions being each provided with a set of circumferentially spaced apertures extending through said wall parts so as to provide inwardly directed streams substantially normal to said wall parts; means for selectively controlling the admission of liquid to said sets of apertures, said means comprising individual conduits, a single conduit for each set of apertures, connectable to a source of fluid under pressure, and individual valve means interposed in said conduits for controlling the admission of liquid to the respective sets of apertures whereby by closure of one or more of said valve means admission of liquid to a selected one or more of said sets of apertures may be entirely interrupted and liquid admitted only to the remaining sets.

8. Apparatus for separating material particles, comprising: hydraulic separating means so constructed and arranged that particles ted thereto are subjected to hydraulic countercurrent settling and the underage of said settling means is normally continuously dischargeable at the lower end of said separating means through an opening free to atmosphere, said separating means comprising a downwardly tapering separating chamber the space therewithin being free of transverse obstructions thereby to enable unobstructed vertical flow of liquid, said chamber having a plurality of vertically spaced wall portions, successive wall portions being alternately unapertured and apertured, and comprising means for admitting liquid to said separating chamber; said liquid admitting means including a plurality of separate jacket means about said apertured wall portions of said chamber respectively, each of said jacket means being of the same outer peripheral dimensions, and each of said jacket means including upper and lower wall portions having transverse openings respectively fitting unapertured wall portions adjacent opposite sides of the respective apertured portion of said chamber, and each including wall means joining said upper and lower wall portions and disposed about and spaced from the respective apertured wall portion of said chamber.

BASIL HORSFIELD. 

